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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – 2 Corinthians 10
Set – 1 Samuel 8; 2 Corinthians 10
Go! – 1 Samuel 8-10; 2 Corinthians 10

2 Corinthians 10
¹ I, Paul, appeal to you in the same gentle and loving spirit of the Anointed—yes, I who am humble when I’m face-to-face with you but audacious to you in these letters when I’m away (I know what they say). ² If it were up to me, I’d rather not have to be so bold when I’m with you, especially with the kind of forceful confidence I can work up when I confront those who have accused us of walking in a worldly way. ³ For though we walk in the world, we do not fight according to this world’s rules of warfare. ⁴ The weapons of the war we’re fighting are not of this world but are powered by God and effective at tearing down the strongholds erected against His truth. ⁵ We are demolishing arguments and ideas, every high-and-mighty philosophy that pits itself against the knowledge of the one true God. We are taking prisoners of every thought, every emotion, and subduing them into obedience to the Anointed One. ⁶ As soon as you choose obedience, we stand ready to punish every act of disobedience.

⁷ Look at what is going on right in front of you. If anyone is convinced that he belongs to the Anointed, then he should think again; even if he belongs to Him, so do we. ⁸ I’m not embarrassed, even if it seems to others I have gone overboard in speaking about the power the Lord has given us to edify and encourage you and not to destroy anyone who strays. ⁹ I don’t want it to seem as if I’m simply trying to scare you with my letters; they are not hollow. ¹⁰ For some people are saying, “Paul’s letters sound authoritative and strong, but in person he just doesn’t measure up—even his speeches don’t deliver.” ¹¹ They need to understand this: whatever we say through our letters when we are away, that is exactly what we will do when we are looking you in the eye.

¹² For we would never dare to compare ourselves with people who have based their worth on self-commendation. They check themselves against and compare themselves with one another. It just shows that they don’t have any sense! ¹³ So we will carefully limit our boasting to the extent only of what God has done in and through us, a reach that extends as far as you. ¹⁴ For it wasn’t as if we were overreaching into someone else’s territory by reaching out to you. Weren’t we the first ones to bring you the good news of the Anointed One? ¹⁵ We carefully put limits on our boasting and avoid taking credit for what others do. But we do hope to see your faith grow so that we can watch our mission really expand all the way to the limits God has set for us. ¹⁶ The plan includes taking the good news to people and lands beyond you. We’ve no interest in or intention of staking claim to other people’s accomplishments in their arenas. As the Scripture says, ¹⁷ ”The one who boasts must boast in the Lord.” ¹⁸ Now let’s be clear: it’s not the one who commends himself who is approved; it’s the one whom the Lord commends.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

I know it’s difficult to confront people for doing wrong, especially within the church. People remember the things for which I have forgiven them and ask themselves, “How can I say something when I know how I’ve behaved in the past?” But like Paul, I expect My community to of believers to help each other keep My church moving upward not wayward. I want you to address the evil among you. I want you to help each other correct the behavior the world accepts as okay and point out the standards I want for My people.

It’s hard to confront those who are wrong. It doesn’t feel good to tell others about behavior that contradicts My word when everyone else stands by and condones or at least ignores the behavior. It isn’t easy to be a lone voice decrying the wrongs within the boundaries of My community, but it is necessary to maintain the purity of My sanctuary.

What is most difficult about the confrontation I expect, though, is I expect it to be with the same love I expressed from the cross. Love that reaches through the behavior to the heart of the individual. Love that seeks redemption and restoration rather than revenge or punishment. Genuine love that looks beyond the behavior to see My image deep within the individual and longs to restore that image within the one being confronted.

Paul understood the confrontation I expected. It was always something that must happen to keep My name pure and spotless among the believers within My community, but it was also a difficult task because it meant being personally vulnerable and loving others with a deep, godly love that reaches to the very depths of your own soul. You may help turn them from road to an eternity apart from Me. So, what happens if you don’t confront them and turn them away from that road? Don’t you think it’s worth it?

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
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